The IntelliRupter PulseCloser allows testing of the line . . . without straining the system.

Automatic circuit reclosers have long been applied for feeder protection in overhead distribution systems . . . generally to keep the lights on. Their mission is quite simple: detect a fault on the line, trip the interrupter to clear the fault, and then test the line to see if the fault is still there. If the fault is gone, the lights come back on. Continue reading →

Desert Diamond Casino, located near Tucson, Arizona, was experiencing frequent power disturbances that affected gaming operations, as well as security of the facility.

The casino was protected by a conventional uninterruptible power supply, applied in conjunction with a standby generator. But the existing UPS was unreliable and required frequent, costly maintenance. When it malfunctioned, all gaming machines — along with the facility’s security system — experienced a complete power outage until the generator started up and went on line. Gambling revenue was impacted and security was compromised. Continue reading →

United Materials, of Great Falls, Montana, operates a large mining facility. It had been powered by five diesel generator sets, ranging in size from 500 to 1000 kW. But the high costs of diesel fuel and generator maintenance, along with reliability concerns, led the owner to consider other options.

Working with Exergy Development Group and S&C’s Power Systems Services, United Materials decided to construct a wind farm with an interconnection to the transmission system of the serving utility, Northwestern Energy. Continue reading →

“UPS: for When the Grid Goes Down”. Power provided by the grid is more than up to the job of powering lights and motors, but when you want to power tele- and data communications equipment, or if you are manufacturing microelectronics, you need to take the power that comes from the utility and clean it up. The right kind of UPS (uninterruptible power supply) not only can keep the equipment running during a power failure, it can also provide a clean source of power. Click here to read the entire article.

A data center in Montana needed a new building to handle their expanding business. One problem they faced involved their existing UPS, which protected 13 server and two telecommunication racks. It would not be adequate for the new facility, which would include more than 50 racks. And, as a further requirement, the data center wanted UPS protection for their developers’ workstations, and the computer room and its HVAC system. After the initial expansion, the load was expected to grow to 560 kVA within five years. Continue reading →

The importance of reliable, high-quality electric power is increasingly being recognized by utility customers. It fosters economic development and enhances the attractiveness of a service area to “new technology” businesses.

For these reasons, the City of Danville, Virginia, sought a high-reliability distribution system to serve a new 330-acre high-technology Cyber Park anchored by the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research and the Regional Center for Applied Technology and Training. Danville had just started an aggressive economic development initiative and understood the advantages of promoting a unique set of utility services to differentiate the Cyber Park from other regional parks. Dependable switchgear would be needed, as well as engineering and installation support services. Danville Power & Light (DP&L) owned and operated by the City of Danville, serves approximately 42,000 customers in a 500-square-mile service territory covering portions of a three-county area. Continue reading →